We,
the 54 undersigned civil society groups, trade unions and
organizations are disturbed by the news that Malaysian Airlines(MAS), a
government linked company continues to violate worker and trade union rights.
Recently, MAS commenced disciplinary action against Mohd
Akram bin Osman, the
Secretary General of the National Union
of Flight Attendants Malaysia (NUFAM), and 30 other NUFAM members. The show
cause letter dated on or about 14/2/2014 asked why disciplinary action should
not be taken against them by reason of their participation in an ‘illegal’
gathering on 27/11/2013 at the Ministry of Human Resources in Putrajaya.

On 17/2/2014, Mohd Akram received yet another show
cause letter with new allegation, and he has been suspended with half pay.

The National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia
(NUFAM) is a registered trade union, and it had sought recognition from
Malaysian Airlines, the employer of some of its members. Recognition is a legal
requirement in Malaysia before an employer can be compelled to sit down,
negotiate and agree to a Collective Bargaining Agreement(CBA). When MAS
rejected the application, the Director General of Industrial Relations(DGIR)
conducted a secret ballot which involved all qualified employees, and NUFAM
succeeded in getting 62.73% of the votes, and thereafter on August 2013,
the DGIR issued the formal letter acknowledging NUFAM as a recognized union. It
must be noted that in Malaysian law, MAS, as employer, would have had to agree
on the list of qualified employees entitled to vote before the secret ballot,
and as such challenging the result and the subsequent recognition of the Union
is bad.

Sadly,
on 4/10/2013, MAS challenged the decision of the Minister to
accord recognition to NUFAM, and filed a Judicial Review application in the
High Court. MAS also allegedly applied for an interim stay order thus depriving
NUFAM the ability to move forward towards a Collective Bargaining
Agreement(CBA).

On 29/11/2013 MAS wrongly terminated
Ismail Nasaruddin, the President of NUFAM, without even having a Domestic
Inquiry, hence denying him the right to be heard and a fair hearing. Ismail was
first suspended and then terminated allegedly by reason of a statement he
issued in his capacity as President of NUFAM, which appeared in the media,
which amongst others stated :- ‘…NUFAM Secretariat said it is calling on the
prime minister to review Jauhari's contract and remove him as the CEO of MAS,
which is a government appointed position, unhappy that there has been no
changes in resolving the cabin crew's problems…’ It also raised other worker
issues (The Sun Daily, 8/11/2013, NUFAM
calls for resignation of MAS' CEO).

MAS send him a show cause letter on 8/11/2013, which
also immediately suspended him. Thereafter, Ismail received another letter
terminating him on 29/11/2013. According to a Malaysiakini report, it is
alleged that MAS
said Ismail had acted in contradiction with his duties as a chief steward of
the airline by issuing the statement.(Malaysiakini,
14/11/2011, MAS suspends chief steward for criticising CEO). This is absurd
as the statement was issued in the capacity of a Union President, not a mere
employee whereby even an ordinary employee should never be denied his freedom
of opinion or expression.

In response, 43 civil society groups and trade
unions, including the International Trade Union Confederation(ITUC), issued a
Joint Statement on 3/12/2013, entitled, “MAS Must Immediately Revoke
Suspension of Union President Ismail
Nasaruddin Worker Right Issue Should Be Resolved By Negotiations Not
‘Union Busting’.

Then,
in December 2013, disciplinary action was taken by MAS against about
10 NUFAM members allegedly based on comments made by them in their NUFAM
Facebook Group. They were all suspended, but thankfully the disciplinary action
seem to have been discontinued against 9. However, one Flight Attendant Ms
Farahtina Kassim is still suspended from her flying duties since 8th December
2013 and even though she is now receiving full wages, she is being deprived of
her flying allowance which constitutes a substantial sum of her ordinary
take-home income.

Now
in February 2014, the show cause letter is against some 30
employees. The most recent allegation of participation in an ‘illegal
gathering’ at the Human Resource Ministry is absurd given the reason that it a
fundamental right for workers and/or their unions to file complaints and make
representation to the government, including the Human Resource Minister. There
has also been no known report or actions taken by the police or relevant
authorities that indicated that any ‘illegal gathering’ even took place on
27/11/2013 at the Ministry. In any event, even if workers went to the Ministry
not during their working hours, MAS certainly cannot make this a worker
misconduct. Being convicted of serious crimes may be a basis for commencement
of misconduct, but here there seem to have been no arrest, investigation or
even prosecution at all. One also wonders whether there is ‘mala fide’ on the
part of MAS to suddenly in February 2014 to issue show cause letter with regard
to things that happened in November last year.

On or about 14 February 2014, Ms
Farahtina Kassim and 3 others were terminated.

It is suspected that the timing of these recent actions
by MAS may have been because the MAS’s judicial review at the High Court
challenging of the recognition accorded Minister to NUFAM was fixed for
18/2/2014, which now has been adjourned to 27/3/2014.

Taking into consideration all these actions of MAS,
it is difficult not to come to the perception that MAS is on a ‘union-busting’
mission, which also includes persecution of Union leadership and those active
in NUFAM.

Malaysia, being a member of the international
community, must also act in accordance with International Standards including
Ruggie’s Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights:
Implementing the United Nations “Protect, Respect and Remedy” Framework ,
whereby in cases of government-linked companies like MAS, the obligation is
even greater. The Guiding Principles do state that “States should take
additional steps to protect against human rights abuses by business enterprises
that are owned or controlled by the State, or that receive substantial support
and services from State...”.

No
worker, group of workers or unions should be barred from making public
statements to the media or otherwise in the struggle for worker rights and
human rights. This right is clearly acknowledged in the Declaration on the Right and Responsibility of Individuals, Groups and
Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognized Human Rights
and Fundamental Freedoms, commonly known today as the UN Human Rights Defender
Declaration.

We call on Malaysian Airlines to immediately cease
all ‘union busting’ activities including the commencement and continuation of
disciplinary actions against members and potential members of NUFAM.

We call on MAS to immediately discontinue the High
Court action challenging the recognition of NUFAM, and to immediately sit down
and work towards a Collective Bargaining Agreement with NUFAM.

We call again on MAS to immediately and
unconditionally reinstate Ismail Nasaruddin, the president of the Union, Ms Farahtina
Kassim and the 3 other flight attendants that have been terminated.

We call on MAS to recognize and respect worker
rights including the freedom of association and the right of qualified
employees to join the Union.

We call on the Malaysian government, being also a
member of the International Labour Organization (ILO), and also having
substantial influence in MAS, a government linked company, to ensure that
worker rights and union rights are respected by MAS.

We call
on Malaysia to immediately amend or repeal all laws that hinder or delay the
speedy formation of trade unions and entry into Collective Bargaining Agreement
with employers.